Explosive compound.



, Fahrenheit to drive off all moisture.

' paraflin or other hydrocarbon and the; benzene are mixed together, and about one.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

LELIA E. HATHAWAY, or WELLSBORO, PENNSTYLVANIA, ADMINIS'IRATRIX or GEORGE M. HATHAWAY,. DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO HA'rrniMrrE COMPANY, or WELLsBoRo,* NNsYLvANIA. I

EXPLOSIVE, COMPOUND.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Maren. 20, 1906.

Application filed November 2'7, 1903. :Renewed August 19, 1905. Serial No. 274,962.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that GEORGE M. HA'rHAwAY, deceased, late a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wellsboro, in the county'of Tioga and'State of Pennsylvania, did invent a new and useful Explosive Mixture or Compound, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to-explosives and it has for its object the production of a mixture or compound which under any ordinary condition of temperature and regulation of any shock to which it may or can'be subjected during its manufacture, transportation, storage, or handling is an enduring and unexplosive combination of combustible substances, but which at the will of the operator may instantaneously be converted into a convenient and effective high explosive of immense destructive power, yielding on combustion absolutely harmless gases.

The invention consists generally of a mixture or compound of certain non-explosive ingredients which are mechanically assembled in such proportions and under such con ditions as to produce a safe product answering to all the requirements of practical use and incapable of being exploded in any other way than by the use of a quick-acting deto-. nator, such as fulminate of mercury.

More specifically, the invention consists of an explosive in which an oxidizing agent, such as a metallic nitrate, and a sensitive agent, such as a mono or'dinitro phenol, are combined, either separately or jointly, with a hydrocarbon, collodion, and carbon.

The compound or mixture as a whole comprises the following ingredients, viz: barium nitrate, seven pounds; paraffin, six parts, benzene, one part, one pound; mono or dinitro phenol, seven and one-eighth pounds;

collodion, seven and one-fourth pounds; pulverized wood-charcoal, one-half pound; paraflin -'oil, three-fourths pound. These ingredients are treated and combined in the followingmannerfviz: The barium nitrate or other metallic nitrate is heated to 1%? pound of this mixture is added tothe barium nitrate, the oxidizing "agent. The hydrocar.

hon and the oxidizing agent are mixed together until thoroughly dry and will be designated as mixture No. .l. The dinitroplieno], which is the sensitive agent, and the collodion are mixed together until thoroughly dry, and this mixture is designated No. 2. Mixtures 1 and .2 are then mixed together, and when thoroughly mixed the pulverized charcoal is added and thewhole mass mixed together, after which the paraffin-oil is added.

As thus mixed and compounded the mixture can be melted and poured into shells or projectiles, and thus all danger ol the explosive listing when fired from a gun is avoided, as the mass at once hardens. The cxplosi re thus melted and poured into the shell can be kept for an indefinite length of time without losing any of its explosive force.

For commercial purposes the uses'of the mixture are practically without limit. its qualities will best assert themselves in deep shaft mining, where the disadvantages of.

other explosives are most apparent. The great explosive power of the mixture makes it especially applicable to the demands of mining in mountainous districts where rock of unusual hardness is encountered, while the perfect safety with which it can be handled will solve a great many problems for the miners in those districts. The absolute immunity ofthe mixture from the effects of changes in temperature renders it equally as effective in countries where the climate is cold as it is in those countries where the climate is warmer. In fact, it retains its origi nal explosive force under any and all conditions, and any attempt to explode it; by any means other than by fulminate of mercury has proven absolutely unsuccessful.

If for some uses a less powerful explosive should berequired, the explosive strength of the mixture herein described may be decreased by increasingthe quantity of barium nitrate employed, in'which case the added barium nitrate acts as a retarding element.-

, Havin thus fully described the invention,

what is c aimed as new is 1.- An explosive containing an oxidizing agent, paraffin, benzene, and dinitrophenol.

2. An explosive containing an oxidizlng IO trate, dinitro Wood-charcoa agent, paraflin, benzene, dinitrophenol, and collodion.

3. An eziglpsive containing an oxidizing agent, para ,benzene, dinitrop'henoLcollodion, and carbon.

4. An explosive containing a metallic nitrate, dinitrophenol, collodion, carbon, and

- a hydrocarbon.

.woodecharcoal, and paraffin-oil;

paraffin, dinitrophenol', carbon, and; paraffin- 1.

8. An explosive containing barium nitrate, paraffin, dinltrophenol, collodion, pulverized- I '10 In testimony whereof I have hteiin'to signed my name to this specification in the presence of two-subscribing witnesses.

LELIA E. HATHALWAY, Administratr'iw of the estate-ofGe orge .MQHath: away, deceased. Witnesses: I t

J. R. NOTTINGHAM,

E. F. CAVEBLY. 

